Circuit-controller.



R. H. MANSON.

CIRCUIT CONTROLLER. APPLICATION mm JULY l3, 1914.

1321 5,566; Patented Feb. 13, 1917.

WITNESSES & WW

ATTOfi UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIGE.

RAY n. MANSON, or ELYRIA, OHIO,

ESTER, NEW YORK,

ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, "f- STROMBEBIG-CARLSON TELEPHONE MANUFACTURING COKVIPANY,

A GGKPORATION 0 NEW" YGRK.

0F BIGGE- CIRCUIT-CONTRQLLEE.

Application filed July 13, 1914.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, RAY H. MANSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elyria, in the county of Lorain and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Circuit-Controllers; and l do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

my invention relates to circuit controllers, and more particularly to a bank of push button switches which finds a special, though not exclusive, use in connection with telephone switchboards, where it may be used to control the circuit connections between ringing generators and telephone lines. A plurality of generators or other sources of current are employed, each adapted to furnish a particular type of current for the purpose of selecting and signaling one of many stations upon a party line.

The principal object of my invention is to produce apparatus of the type mentioned which can be simply and cheaply made, installed and operated, and which will, at, the same time, malre a good electrical contact without danger of injury to the parts.

Other obiects of my invention and the invention itself will perhaps be better understood from adescription of the embodiments illustrated on the drawing.

Figure l is a section through ment of my invention.

Fig. 2; is an elevation of a second embodi one embodiment showing the parts in elevation.

Referring now to the first embodiment shown in Fig. l, at 3 is shown a plate which here consists of an escutr heon plate. frame piece is shown at 4 connected to the escutcheon plate in any suitable manner, such as by screws 5 and (3. The shelf of the switchboard may be cut away and the frame piece and escutcheon plate mounted therein, with the frame piece flush with the face of the shelf. The escutcheon plate is provided with a plurality of perforations 7, through which plungers 8 operate. 1 have shown but one of these plunger-s, as the others are duplicates thereof. The frame piece is also provided with a plurality of openings Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 193.7,

Serial No. 850,646.

through which the lower ends of the plungers operate. This frame piece is of U shape, as illustrated, the bottom limb 10 of the U being much longer than the side limbs l1. I

An insulating member 13 is niormted on the bottom of "he limb 10 of the member and is connected thereto by suitable me as such as screws 12. The member 13 carries a plurality of terminals 14-, iii a id 1'2. Each of these terminals consists of an member ha ring limbs 18, which subsl' tially parallel to the ph'ingers, and to wl .(jli the terminals of the electric circuit are connected. The horizontal limbs 19 of hese members are mounted in a slot 20 member 13 and exposed through re in the member 13 to a contact Carrie plunger 8. This contact is illust and carries a collar normally e collar '26 around the edge of a bore plunger 8. A spring 29 is provid I bore 27, abutting at one end against the er 30 of this bore, and at the other end agai the back of the collar 25 upon the nal 24.

The plunger 8 is provided with a collar on the upper end thereof, and a s1 ng 4i. abuts at one end against the collar 40 and at the other end against the top surface of the limb 10 of the member l. One terminal of the circuit is connected through suitable means to the frame .1- or the escutcheon plate 3.

When the plunger is depressed, the spring 4-1 is compressed, and when the terminal 24; engages the limb 19 of the contact terminal 14, the spring 29 within the bore is compressed and the contacts are held firmly in engagement by said spring. An insulating cap is pro ided for the plunger 8 to insulate it from the operators finger when applied thereto.

Referring now to the form shown in ig. 2, which is still further simplified, the es cutcheon plate is shown at 103 and serves as a common contact for one set of terminals. This is connected to the switchboard, a portion of which is shown at 104, in any suitable manner, as by screws 105 inserted through holes 106 in the escutcheon plate. A member 107, preferably made of insulatall ing material, mounted upon the bottom of the escutcheon plate in any suitable man ner, such as by screws 108, one of which is illustrated. The escutcheon plate is pros vided Wlth a plurality of holes 109,.through which the plunger-s 110 reciprocate. The n'ieinber 107 is provided with a plurality of channels, one of which is shown at 111 for the plungers 110. These channels are cylinlo drical in. shape, but of different cross section. The lower section 112 is the narrowest; the intermediatev section 113 is Wider, so that a shoulder 11% exists between the tWo sections. 'llhe upper section 115 is the Widest, and a second shoulder 116 exists between the intermediate section and the upper section. The shoulder 116 by engaging the collar 121 limits the downward move ment of the plunger. The three sections of the channel are concentric, and the lower sec-- tion is of substantially the same diameter as the shaft of the phinger 109. it bearing member 120 is set upon the shoulder 114 and. is provided with an opening of substantially the same diameter as the section 112. The bearing member itself is ol. substantially the same diameter as the section 113. The plunger is provided with a collar 1:21 01 little less diameter than the section 115. A spring 130 is mounted upon the plunger, and abuts ,at one end against the collar 121 and at the other against the bearing plate 120, so that when the plunger is depressed, this spring will be compressed, and when the plunger is released, the spring will return the plunger to normal position.

A plurality of electric terminals are mounted upon the bottom of the member 107, a channel 141 being cut therein along the length ot the member 107 tier one end of said terminal members. The terminal ti e ers 140 are angle shapedfone limb i l?) being normally substantially parallel to the shafts of the phmgers. l t is to these ends of the terminals that one set of conductors is attached. The end 143 of each angle shaped extends over the nels . usually in the path anger shaft 199.

..scd, the

V7 hen end of the "cal coniiection. i ween .EG lie-i"; and escutchem plate 183. criy screw-threaded collars 150 tne member 107 and fastened as 151 connect the terminals 'liars 150 and therethrough to venting the accumulation of corrosion upon the contacting surface. This always insures a good electrical contact.

claim 1. in a circuit controller, the combination of a perforated plate adapted to be normally employed as a common terminal for a plurality of conductors, an insulating member, means to connect maid insulating member to said plate, said insulating member being provided with a plurality of channels concentric with the perforations in said plate, a plurality of push button plungers each adapted to have electrical engagement With said perforated plate, one mounted in each of said perforations and its concentric channel and adapted to reciprocate therein, a spring for maintaining each plunger -in normal position, a plurality of contact menibcrs mounted upon said insulating member and each extending; over the bottom of. one ol the channels therein and adapted to engage the end of the plunger when it is depressed.

2. in a device ol the class described, the combination of a. plate provided with a plmiality of perforations and adapted normally'to serve as a common terminal for a plurality oi conductors, an insulating memher and mca 11s to mount said insulating member upon the bottom of said plate, said insulating member provided with a plurality of channels concentric With the perforations in, the plate, a plurality of push buttonplungel-s each normally engaging said plate, one mounted in each of the perforations in. said plate and in the channel of the insulating member concentric therewith, said plungers adapted to reciprocate in said perforations and channels, a spring for returning said planners to normal, a plurality of terminals connected to said insulating member, one' having a flexible end extending over the bottom of the channel and adapted to engage the plunger when it is depressed to make a wiping electrical contact therewith.

3. in a. device of the class described, the combination of a plate having a perforation. herein, said plate adapted normally to serve a terminal. 01 an electrical circuit, an in ii if i nber havin a channel. therein and means to mount said insulating" ineiinber upon the bottom of said plate with the channel concentric with the perforation inthe plate, the channel extending clear through it e insulating member, a push button plunger normally engaging said plate mounted to reciprocate in said perforation and channel, a for returning said p anner to lflOl'll'lEtl csil'ic an electrical insulating memtcillallitl maniac said having a ileamie end exoer. .id to -mi e 4. In a device of the class described, the combination 'of a perforated plate adapted normally to serve as aterminal of an electric circuit, an insulating member having a channel therein extending through said member, means to connect said in' r Ier'to said plate with the channel concentric with the perforation in the plate, an electrical terminal mounted upon said member and having a flexible end extending over the mouth of the channel, a push button plunger adapted to engage said plate mounted to reciprocate in said perforation and channel, a collar on said plunger permitti plunger to be reciprocated in the channel but retaining it therein, a shoulder in said channel, a bearing plate on said shoulder, a spring between the bearing plate and the collar on theplunger, said plunger when depressed having a wiping engagement with the flexible end of the terminal to complete a circuit between the co 'iductor connected to said terminal and the conductor connected to said plate.

5. In a device of the class described, the manipulation of a plate having an opeinng therein, an insulating block having a channel therein, means to connect said bloclr to the said plate with the channel substantially concentric with the perforation in the plate, a plunger mounted to reciprocate in said perforation and channel, a shoulder in said channel, a bearing plate on said shoulder, a collar on said plunger, a spring between said bearing plate and said collar, :1 second shoulder in said channel for limiting the movement of the plunger and adapted to engage the collar on the plunger to limit the downward movement of said plunger, and an electrical terminal mounted on said insulating m iber having a flexible end in the path oi": the plunger adapted to make a wiping enga o ient with said plunger when the same i ed, both said plate and said tern: ,7 to be :onnected to an whereby a circuit may be electric co: I closed when said plunger is depressed to engage said terminal,

in witness s reoi l have signed my name in t'he presence of two witnesses this (5th day of July, 1914:,

RAY H. MANSON.

\Vitncsses GEO. E. Honnn'rs, ii. A, BUFAND. 

